(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for receiving and for transporting an article, which device has receiving means which are slid under the article by a sliding means, the receiving means being formed by a belt revolving via deflections means. The device can then be received by a robot and brought to a different location where the article is deposited again.
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98
Devices of this type are known for example from WO 99/0036, JP 57-151533 and WO 2005/051812.
The transportation of articles of this type presents particular problems when said articles are so flexible (for example a slice of sausage, cheese or meat) that they are compressed when they are received by the receiving means. Special measures must then be taken to avoid this.
A further problem of the arrangement is presented by the precise positioning of the arrangement by means of a robot via the retrieval plane. Owing to the dynamics of the robot and the control accuracy associated therewith and also the kinematic elasticity, positional accuracy inevitably occurs by way of the retrieval position. For this reason, it is necessary to position the robot at a minimum distance above the retrieval plane, so that no collision takes place between the arrangement and the retrieval plane. However, this minimum distance makes it difficult to pick up products. In extreme cases, products with a thickness which is less than the minimum distance cannot be gripped.
GB 2 378 432 A discloses an arrangement in which gripping fingers are placed from both sides on a cake in order to hold and lift up said cake with a certain pressure. In order to be able to raise the cake, the gripping fingers are configured so as to have a plate via which a belt is drawn. The belt is in contact with the item. If it is drawn via the plate, it takes the item with it.
A similar arrangement, in which however the plate is moved not vertically but rather horizontally, is described in WO 2007/093774 A1. In this case, it is a problem that during each movement cycle a spring has to be tensioned over the entire path of movement of the belt and that furthermore, during its movement over the plate, the belt is subject to wear owing to the friction on the plate.
A further arrangement of the type mentioned in the preamble is described in the Applicant's own earlier German application 10 2007 045 042.